Apparatus for making bisulfite liquor.



J. VOLLMER L RQS. TALBOT.

APPARATUS FOR MAKING BISULPITE LIQUOR.

APYLIGATION FILED MAB. 27; 190B.

Panam-,ed Jan, 4, 1910 drum,

J. VULLMER L R. s. TALBOT. APPARATUS FOR MAKING BISULHTE LIQUOR.

APPLICATION FILED MAJ! 27, 1908. 945,426, Patented Jan. 4, 1910.

2 sums-'SHEET 2.

NUNITED srarns Parana; ormoni.

JOHN, vornamen; on Bos'roN; MASSACHUSETTS, AND- REGINALDfs. TALBOT, or

APPLETON, WISCONSIN.

APPARATUS FOR MAKING BISULFITE LIQUOBJ.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 4l., 1910.

Application filed March 27, 1908. Serial No. 423,534.

To all whom itmay concern.'

Be it known that we, JOHN VOLLMER, of Boston, in the county of Suffolk and State of Massachusetts, and REGINALD S. TALBOT,

`of Appleton, in the county ofOut-agamie is to actto make a. wood pulp.

The purp'oseof our invention. is to provide anleconomical and simple means for insuring the tho-rough absorption of theproducts of the sulfur furnace so that there shall be practically no waste,` the apparatus itself being such that the chance for its disintegration is minimized and such wear as is ordinarily caused where moving parts are used is absent. tanks shall be air-tight and shall be made of material` non-corrosive, hence the tanks below described are made of wood inclosed in cement, thecement serving to prevent the leakage of air 1n places where the wood lining shows any'tendency to shrink.. It is also desirable for the best results that during the process. of mixing, thegliquid` and gas shall be kept cool, and for this purpo-se we have `shown means whereby the uniting fluids and gases in the tanks are chilled to any desirable degree. In order to secure circulation and to assistin the mixing operation we cause the milk of lime to flow through the apparatus by gravity and the gas to `be i drawnV through `the milk of lime for mixing erenceto. the drawings, in which- Figure l is a sectional elevation showing they arrangement and connectionsof a series.

ofthree tanks embodying ourinvention, the tanks beingshownv more or less diagrammatica-lly. Fig.` 2 is an enlarged section of one ofthe tanks A2, and Fig. 3 is a hori- It is necessary that such zontal section on line 3 3 of Fig. 2 showing the false bottom partly broken away.

The tanks are lettered A, Al `and A', respectively, and are similar in character. Each tank comprises a wooden structure al inclosed in cement a, the two being made to adhere in any desired way. The tanks may be made of staves in the ordinary way of making cylindrical tanks or the like and are closed in at the top so as to be air-tight. An opening A3 in the top of the tank is closed by a cover a2 made air-tight by screws or in any other convenient manner. Each tank is provided with a vertical gas inlet pipe B which spreads at its bottom jinto a bell-like distributer b forming within it a chamber. 1 and having openings b2 `which connect the vchamber with the tank atV the level of its Hoor as shown. Each` pipe B `extends up through the top of the Atank and the pipe B of tank A is connected by the pipe B1 with a suitable gas supply. From the top of the tank A leads a pipe C which is connected with the pipey B` of tank Al by means of the pipe B2. In asimilar way the tank A? is connected with the gas inlet B of'tank A2 by means. of an upright pipe C1 and a connecting pipe B3. The tank A2 is connected atthe opening Cgby the pipe C3 with a vacuum pump or other means of insuring the movement of the gas from. its source through the system. Under the open.- ings for the pipes C, C1. and C2 are hung 1dellectors C4 by means of rods c, thekdefiectors and rods being made of non-corrodiblev metal. Their purpose will be explained below.

To supply milk of lime tothe system we have' shown an opening in the bottom of ner its extension D4 passes to a point of con nection with the outlet El of tank A1,thenceas on to the inletpipe D of tank A from `which point as D6 it emptiesinto the receiving tank E3 which is shown diagrammatically, that is,sout.of proportion. Into this` tank also empties the overow E from the tank A. Each tank has preferably a conic ally shaped ioor as and for the purposes described.

The apparatus so far described operates as follows: Milk of lime being supplied through the pipe D3 and gas being supplied throughthe inlet Bl and a vacuum being established at the end of the pipe C3 the milk of lime first fills the tanks to a point approximately at the level of the overflow pipes E, El, E2. The gas which enters through the pipe B1 passes down through the pipe B in tank A and there meets the incoming stream of milk of lime in the chamber b1. From this chamber the mixture rushes out through the openings b2 with a force due not only to the gravity How of the liquid and the gas pressure but also to the vacuum and striking the floor E shoots up it with considerable force against the walls and top of the tank thus largely increasing the surface area when absorption takes place. Thus a spray is formed in the top of the tank which assists materially in the chemical combining of the gas and liquid so that opportunity is offered for the liquid to take up a large part of the free gas. Moreover the vacuum assists in the ebullition of the body of the liquid so that the gas becomes very thoroughly mixed without,

and coming into very thorough contact with it, is absorbed by it to a very large extent. What is not taken up in tank A passes over to the tank A1 through the pipe C where the same process goes on and any surplus is carried over into the tank A2 so that all three of these tanks contain milk of lime in a greater or less degree of ebullition according to the vacuum, the milk of lime in each absorbing so far as possible the free gas which enters the tank. When the process is well under way it will be seen thatthe tank A2 will contain liquor with a small amount of gas, tank Al liquor having a larger proportion of gas, while tank A will contain liquor approximately saturated therewith. The Valves cl are ordinarily closed and the pipe E2 carries the overflow from tank A2 by the pipe D4 to the pipe D1 from which it Hows into the next tank A1 below it in series where in the same way it absorbs the free sulfurous gas so that the liquor has a constant opportunity to add to that which it already has. From thence it passes over through the overflow El and pipes D5 and D to the tank A and after passing through this tank and absorbing gas there overiiows into the tank E3 when it is ready for use and from which it is drawn to the storage or receiving tank. It will be noted that in each case the incoming milk of lime is in the first place thrown directly into and against the incoming stream of gas and the interior of the cone forms a chamber which acts in the first instance to confine the gas and milk of lime and cause them to intermingle so that here is the first opportunity for combining, additional opportunity being offered by reason of the vacuum or reduced pressure in the upper part of the tank which encourages the spraying process above described and causes the free gas in the liquor to bubble up through it so that it is given opportunity to absorb a considerable portion of the gas. Thus by the time the process has ceased, that is, by the time the liquid leaves the tank A the milk of lime is practically saturated with gas. XVe have found that by this means one volume of milk of lime will dissolve or take up more volumes of sulfurous acid (SO2) than by any other system, the reason being rst because of the confinement of the two in the chamber b1 and the division of the liquid into streams as it passes out through the openings b2, then by its spraying in the top of the tank and by the tendency of the gas while free to bubble up through the liquid so that it breaks up the body of liquid and spreads through it.

We have found that it is desirable to shield the openings in the top of the tanks by delectors C4 in order to prevent the liquid being drawn through the vacuum system.

t will be noted that the pipes D3, D4 and D5 contain valves Z which are only opened when it is desired to empty the tanks.

But in addition to the causes for a su perior chemical absorption resulting from the process which we have above described we have provided further means by which a thorough absorption of the gas by the milk of lime is secured and that is by means of a cooling device which serves to keep the contents of the tanks at any desired temperature. It is well known that the lower the temperature of a liquid the larger the amount of gas it will absorb. In order to utilize this law and maintain the contents of the tanks at any desired temperature we prefer to make our tanks with a conical false bottom below which is a cooling cnamber. For this purpose we provide a truncated cone F comprised of two layers, the lower layer f being preferably a layer of perforated iron, the perforations being considerable in number butnot enough to so materially weaken the iron that it will not support the load above it, and the upper layer being of lead f1 or other metai which will not be corroded by the contents of the tank. The perforations serve to bring the chilling fluid into closer relation to the contents of the tank than if the perforations did not exist; the iron thus serving to support the lead without materially interferir-.g with the chilling of the contents of the tank.

We prefer to Ause standards f2 suitably lo- .cated which shall assist in supporting and strengthening the cone F so that it may hold its load properly.. The cone F forms a chamber G in the bottom of the tank, which chamber is watei-tiglit-th`atis, the conne@ tions between .the cone and the tank are ofy such a character as not to allow any leakage from the interior of the tank into the chamber G. This chamber G we provide with water ata given temperature through the pipe g, an outlet g1 being provided so that circulation may be kept up and the tempera i i ture be maintained at any desired degree. l5`

Byv this means the contents of each tank may be kept at the same temperature or the temperature may be varied as occasion may required.` Vile also provide for each tank a gage H of the usual type by means of which the height of the liquid in each tank may be `seen and to a certain extent the activity of the content-s ofthe tank may be watched. These `gages are provided with valves ,7L by means of which at any time they may be cut off from the tank. We also prefer to provide a sand trap J which is connected with the tank A2 through the pipe D2 by means of the pipe J1 which leads from the coupling from which the pipe D2 projects and `is controlled by valve j. Ordinarily this valve is open to allow impurities to be discharged into the sand boX, the vacuum being sufciently strong to hold up the liquor in the pipes and draw it into the tank A2 rather than let it escape into the sand boX. This sand boXlias a washout opening at J 2 also controlled by a valve. The tank A also is provided with an outlet K leading into the storage tank E2 from a point belo-w the overflow E and havinga glass section 7s to allow the overflow to be inspected. By this the character of the product can be determined. i y

The operation of our apparatus will be understood from what has been said above. Its advantage lies first in its construction, in that the wood of which each tank is made is non-corrosive and while it may shrink it is backed up at the points where a woden tank would naturally be leaky, (that is, where it is not at all times incontact with the liquid,) with cement whereby it is maintained air tight. In the saine way the pipe connections are always rendered perfect because they may be cemented in place, the cement uniting with the cement of the tank. Our apparatus has another advantage in that the agitation in thetank is not caused by a mechanical agitator which being a movable `part is liable to require constant attention and lubrication and also the application ofv power in some forni. lt is caused by the movement of the gas itself and the manner 11i which the gas and the milk of lime are brought together, the gas being forced in chamber, and at the same time are `driven up by the conical floor and sprayed in the top of the tank, any free gas being drawn up through the liquor by the vacuum. 7e thus get all the advantages of what is known as the spraying system with the additional advantages of the mechanical mixture by Van agitator', the agitation being secured by the reduced pressure in the top of the tank which causes any free gas to bubble up through the liquor and subdivide its bulkthe liquor being kept `cool so that the gas and liquor which have once-united will not tend to separate.

We do not mean to confine ourselves to the use of a `vacuum for the purpose of causing circulation as of course gas pressure will to a certain extent accomplish the saine result and it will be seen by one skilled in the art that modifications of this apparatus may be had without departing from the spirit of the invention.

While we have described our invention as an apparatus for making bisulfite liquor it is of course plain that it maybe useful in any case where the absorption of a gas by a liquid is intended.

What we claim as our invention is l. The tank above described having a `distributer located at the bottom thereof and connected therewith andP a gas inlet and a liquid inlet connected with said distributer to deliver gas and liquid tliereinto as described.

2. The tank above described having a distributer located at the bottoni thereof, connections to supply said distributer with gas and liquid and connections between said distributer and the interior of said tank whereby the contents of said distributer will be delivered into the lower part of said tank as described.

3. The tank above described having a distributer located at the bottom thereof, `connections to supply gas and liquid to said distributer, said distributer having a restricted outlet whereby the gas and liquid received in said distributer will be confined and delivered therefrom under pressure as set.

forth.

4. The tank above described having a distributer located at the bottoni thereof and comprising a gas inlet and a liquid inlet, said inlets being located opposite to each other-whereby their streams of liquid and gas moving in opposite directions will be discharged into each other and the combined gas and liquid will now into the tank at the bottom thereof.

5. The tank above described having a inlet and an oppositely discharging liquid inlet disposed beneath said gas inlet, an enlarged extension to said gas inlet surrounding said liquid inlet and forming a chamber,

i'io

.and narrow apertures in said extension to said gas inlet.

6. The tank above described having a gas inlet and an oppositely discharging liquid inlet, said gas inlet terminating in an enlarged extension surrounding said liquid inlet and having narrow apertures leading into said tank and means surrounding said extension whereby the liquor passing through said apparatus will be directed upward through the contents of the tank as described.

7. The tank above described having a gas inlet and an oppositely discharging liquid inlet, said gas inlet terminating in an enlarged extension surrounding said liquid inlet and having narrow apertures leading into said tank, a restricted outlet into said tank whereby the liquid and will pass from said extension under pressure, and means surrounding said extension whereby the liquor passing through said apparatus will be directed upward through the contents of the tank as described.

8. The tank above described having a gas inlet and a liquid inlet, and a direction changing floor whereby the inflow of liquid and gas will be directed upwardly, and means for reducing the pressure in the tank whereby the cohesiveness of the liquid is reduced and the gas is brought into intimate contact with "the particles thereof, as set forth.

9. In a gas absorbing system, a series of tanks, a gas inlet and liquid inlet located near the bottom of each tank, an outlet at the top of each tank whereby free gas may pass therefrom, means for causing a circulation of gas throughout said system and a deflector located in proximity to said outlet whereby the effervescing liquid will be prevented from entering said outlet.

10. The tank above described having a gas inlet and a gas outlet, a conical false bottom and a chamber located below said false bottom adapted to contain a cooling liquid, as described.

1l. The tank above described having a false bottom comprising a perforated strengthening layer and a superposed imperforate layer of non-corrosive metal, whereby the non-corrosive layer will be given adequate support and the temperature of the chamber below the false bottom will be substantially imparted to the chamber above the bottom without the intermingling of the contents of the two chambers.

12. In a gas absorbing system, a series of tanks connected to draw gas therethrough and having a gravity system to supply 1iquid thereto, each tank being provided with an overow connected with the bottom of the neXt tank in series whereby the liquid containing absorbed gas is delivered into the bottom of the next tank in series, and means for delivering a further supply of gas into said liquid as it enters said tank.

13. In the system above described, a series of tanks, a liquid supply system, and a gas supply system, a member of each system entering each tank at the bottom thereof, means for causing unabsorbed gas to ebulliate through the liquid contents of the tank whereby it is brought into intimate contact with the liquid to be taken up thereby.

14. In the system above described, a series of tanks, a liquid supply system, and a gas supply system, a member o f each system entering each tank at the bottom thereof, the end of each gas system member terminating in a chamber having a restricted outlet, the end of each liquid system member also terminating in said chamber whereby said liquid and gas are brought into intimate contact, means for causing unabsorbed gas to ebulliate throughout the liquid contents of the tank as described.

15. In a system of tanks adapted for the purposes set forth, liquid and gas inlets and means in one or more of said tanks vfor mixing said liquid and gas, comprising a chamber with constricted outlets, a deflecting floor for changing the. direction of said liquid and gas as they flow from said chamber, and a means for reducing pressure above the normal level of the liquid in each tank whereby the liquid is agitated by said gas and sprays in the upper portion of each tank thus coming in immediate contact with said gas, as described.

16. In an apparatus for making bisultite liquor, a tank having a gas and liquid inlet at the bottom thereof and a conical partition surrounding said gasand` liquid inlet and forming a false bottom-to said tank whereby a chamber is formed in the bottom of said tank, said false bottom being constructed of a layer of non-corrodible material, and a perforated layer of supporting material located therein and adapted to strengthen said non-corrodible material, said false bottom forming a chamber adapted to receive means for changing the teinperature of the contents of said tank, as

described.

JOHN VOVLMER. REGINALD S. TALBOT. In the presence of- F. F. PHILLIPS, Jr., M. E. FLAHERTY, JOHN E. SCANLON,

WV. B. VRIGHT. 

